Saturday, February 10, 2007

It's a beautiful April day here, sunny and about 60, so I'm told.My three youngest are outside playing while Nathaniel labors over thank-you notes for his birthday cards.He's 8 now, and I cannot believe how the time has gone.

I've seen some trees budding and hardy flowers starting to poke their leaves through the earth  spring is here!This used to be one of my most loved  and hated  times of the year.Now, I'm free to just LOVE it!The products I take have helped me control my allergies to the point that I don't even notice allergy season anymore.How cool is that?

Researchers from the University of Florida analyzed the caffeine content of 10 of the best-selling energy drinks, along with carbonatedsoda and other commercial beverages.Many of the energy drinks contained about twice as much caffeine as the typical caffeinated soda beverage.

Energy drinks are wildly popular, but most people don't realize that the vast majority of these drinks rely on large doses of caffeine to boost energy levels.

For example, SoBe's Adrenalin Rush lists supplements D-Ribose, L-Carnitine, and Taurine as the "natural energizing elements" that help it work.But it also contains 80 milligrams of caffeine (more than twice that found in Mountain Dew.)

"The ads (for all energy drinks) give people the idea that they are getting a cocktail of various ingredients fine-tuned to synergistically enhance energy," says John Hopkins professor Dr. Roland Griffiths."As far as I can tell, this is bogus.The effects of these drinks are largely due to the presence of added caffeine,"

Here's the good news for those of us who need an energy booster:This product is all-natural, with no added caffeine.It includes cordyceps, ginseng and green tea  well-researched Chinese remedies to help you resist fatigue and maintain energy.

2.Too Much Fluoride in Water Endangers Bones (Reuters)

Fluoride in drinking water -- long controversial in the United States when it is deliberately added to strengthen teeth -- can damage bones and teeth, and federal standards fail to guard against this, the National Academy of Sciences reports.

The academy's expert panel said some 200,000 people in the United States may consume water that is at or above the government's standard because of naturally occurring fluoride.

Children exposed to the government's current maximum fluoride limit "risk developing severe tooth enamel fluorosis, a condition characterized by discoloration, enamel loss and pitting of the teeth," the academy said in a statement.

Children are at particular risk in communities with water at or near the federal limit, where about 10 percent of young people develop severe tooth enamel fluorosis, the report said.

The report does not examine risks or benefits from the purposely fluoridated water that millions of Americans drink, which contains about one-fourth the government's limit, or less.

Are you concerned about your children swallowing their toothpaste with fluoride?This product does not contain fluoride, so it's safe for kids.It's highly concentrated, so you don't need much to clean your teeth.My kids love it.I tried it too, and like it so much that I've switched too.

3. Most New Moms Exhausted (Health Day News)

When I saw this headline I thought it fell under the "Duh!Did we need to spend our money on this?"But the headline doesn't tell the whole story.

Many new mothers may underestimate the toll giving birth and caring for a baby can take on their health, new research shows.

At five weeks postpartum, a majority of new moms were fatigued, had breast discomfort and a decreased desire for sex, the study found.

"This study highlights the need for ongoing rest and recovery beyond four to six weeks postpartum, and the need for more support for women," said study author Pat McGovern, an associate professor in the division of environmental health sciences at the School of Public Health at the University of Minnesota.

"The postpartum period for the woman and for her family can be rough. The woman needs all the help and support she can get," said Dr. Nicholas Klein, an obstetrician.

I'll agree, I completely underestimated the toll that having a baby would have on me.However, I learned after my first to give myself lots of time and limit activities after the babies are born.I also agree that postpartum women need all the help and support they can get.One of the great things we can do as postpartum moms is to care for our health.We need lots of extra nutrients to help our bodies recover from birth and to prepare for caring for the baby.If you know a woman who is pregnant or post-partum, encourage her to get in touch with me and we can outline a plan to help her get the nutritional support she needs at this time.

4. Allergy Sufferers Sniff Out Remedies (USA Today)

Cold and allergy symptoms are one of the top reasons people seek out alternative medicine, says Leonard Bielory, director of the Asthma & AllergyResearchCenter at the University of Medicine & Dentistry in New Jersey.

Despite the growing popularity of such treatments, there is scant scientific research on their effectiveness & safety.

"When a patient asks me whether they should try alternative or herbal medication, I counsel that it generally won't be harmful, but it's not likely to be beneficial either," says Brian Smart, an allergist in Glen Ellyn, Illinois.

The scientific community has been slow to keep up with the public's imagination when it comes to studying alternative ways to treat allergies:There is little conclusive data on whether alternative therapies work.

Adding to consumers' uncertainty about the safety and effectiveness of alternative therapies is the way the Food and Drug Administration regulates supplements  as food, rather than drugs  so there is little standardization within the industry.

As I read this article, I was disappointed that the reporter hadn't know about the company I represent. It stands alone in the lightly-regulated supplement industry with the highest standards of excellence in producing its products, and also with testing its products before they go on the market.You can be assured that when you take this company's products, you are not being a guinea pig for an untested remedy  and that they are manufactured to the highest standard possible.To learn more about the difference of this company, go to www.theglobalsuccessteam.net and click on the icon that says "What's Different About Us?"See the end of the newsletter to learn how you can earn a discount off your order this month by watching Cindy Latham's presentation.

This letter was written to a Shaklee Distributor last month.If you want more information about the air purifer i use (my first line of defense against allergens!), let me know.

Dear Bruce,

I wanted to write to you to let you know of my wonderful experience with the [air purifier] that I purchased. I've had it for about nine months now and it has changed my life.

In 1999, I was diagnosed with adult on-set asthma, which I believe was brought on by a house I was renting thatwas full of mold. Every spring and summer since then I would suffer from several severe asthma attacks a week. I work for myself doing bookkeeping and Quickbooks training, and I would literally be crippled with these attacks and unable to work. Unfortunately, if I don't work, I don't get paid. So, doctors kept adding medications to try to get me comfortable, but I feel they never fully worked for me. I was always winded, even on a short walk. Exercising was next to impossible. My voice was hoarse all the time as a side effect of medication, so I had to stop the teaching aspect of my job. It was too difficult to talk for hours straight.

I was on FIVE different medications for asthma when I bought the [air purifier]. Some of these medications were covered under insurance and some were not! I was paying close to $300/month, just for the asthma medications! This was an extreme financial burden, especially since I would still be sick for at least several days per month and would lose that time and money.

After 8 months of having the [air purifier] in my home, I am off ALL let me repeat that

ALL asthmamedications.Of course, I had the support and monitoring of my wonderful doctor who has been at my side for a number of years now trying to find the right combination for me. I attribute my success completely to the [air purifier]. I have NOT had an asthma attack in well over six months and I haven't even had a cold this winter.

My fifteen year old son has always had terrible allergies and carries wads of tissues in his pockets. Since I've had the [air purifier] I never hear him sniffle. Both my children have had two colds this winter (at different times), but they were mild and the rest of the family didn't get them. In the past if one of us had a cold; it cycled through the whole family. The money I've saved in not buying tissues has been an unexpected pleasure  as well as the saved monthly cost of the medications! My [air purifier] paid for itself in less than two months.

I believe my overall health has been improved by the [air purifier]. I sleep better, wake up more refreshed.Exercising is easier. I don't dread the spring and summer any more! My mother, who lives in Maine, has cardiomyopathy which has resulted in her losing all but 30% usage of her heart. She has a very hard time breathing at times, and has allergies. I brought my [air purifier] up to Maine with me on a visit and within a day and half she couldn't believe how much easier it was for her to breath. She thought it just might be a fluke  but the next two times we visited (once in Maine and once at my house in Massachusetts), she was amazed at the difference the [air purifier] made for her breathing. She was able to sleep through the night instead of being woken up by allergies. She was much more rested and overall comfortable. She was less winded. She had to have an [air purifier] of her own. She also has been very pleased with the health benefits she's experienced since she's had it.

I took it on vacation last year when we stayed in a condo for a week on

Myrtle Beach, SC. I was nervous because I've had asthma attacks staying in hotels and other places away from home, especially places with all-to-wall carpeting. I plugged in my [air purifier] the minute we got there and never had one problem.

On a side note, I love that the[air purifier] takes odors away so quickly. I've used it in a bedroom with three stinky, teenage boys. The room is fresh and clean smelling in less than two hours. Most chemical air cleaner sprays make my allergies worse and can bring on an asthma attack for me  so I don't use them. My husband brews beer at home and for those of you who have not had the pleasure of smelling hops cooking  let me tell you how horrible the smell is! I put the [air purifier] in the kitchen and I can be in the next room and not smell a thing!

I absolutely love my [air purifier] and I will never be without it. I talk about the [air purifier] to everyone I meet and I would recommend it to anyone. You can't even imagine all the benefits and you have to experience it for yourself.

Thanks so much Bruce, for educating me on this wonderful technology! I am forever in your debt!

Sincerely,

Margaret L.

AML Consulting

Computerized Bookkeeping

Holyoke, MA

Thanks so much for reading my monthly newsletter.As always, if you have any questions, please feel free to e-mail or call me.